What’s the key difference between fusion and defusion of thoughts, feelings, memories and future projections

Recently, I’ve been sharing some concepts and ideas around “fusion” of thoughts, feelings, memories and future projections versus “defusion” of thoughts, feelings, memories and future projections.  

So what is the key difference?

Fusion is more like stepping into a “virtual reality” set.  It can seem very real as if one is reliving or living the experience.  

Defusion is probably more like viewing it through a DVD/TV set or at the cinema.  It seems less real and more at “arm’s length”.  We can still experience it, enjoy it, distress by it at times, be informed by it, appreciate it, but not actually reliving or living it.  

In counseling, helping our patients to defuse from unhelpful thoughts, feelings, memories and projections, is often one of the key rate-limiting steps.